Iron man 2

Director: Jon Favreau

Writers: Justin Theroux

Stan Lee

Plot: After confessing his identity as Iron Man to the world, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) comes under fire from the United States Government who demand he hand over the powerful weapon that is the Iron Man suit. As the Government attempts to create a duplicate suit with the assistance of Stark's rival, Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), Tony's long time friend Jim Rhodes (Don Cheadle) is put center stage in the conflict. Meanwhile, a mysterious and dangerous foe emerges in Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), who creates an alternate and powerful persona known as Whiplash in order to exact revenge on the Stark family once and for all... it isn't long before he unites with Hammer in an effort to destroy Iron Man. With the arrival of his shady new assistant (Scarlett Johansson), and persistent recruitment attempts from S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Stark needs all the help he can get in order to overcome the obstacles.

Movie rating: 5/5

Its a really nice movie where compare to the first, this episode is funnier and more action. Another masterpiece from Robert Downey Jr. The crowd in the cinema clap and shout throughout the whole movie. AMAZING!

Jose Mourinho

[During Porto time] Mourinho: Deco is the man lead us to Champions League win, he's the best

[During Chelsea Time] Mourinho: Drogba has strength, skill, power, all a footballer has. He's perfect, a true predator, he is the best player i ever see

[During Inter Time] Mourinho: No argument, Ibrahimovic is the best player in the world.

[After exchange Ibrahimovic and Eto'o] Mourinho: Ibrahimovic was the best, but now, is Eto.

Wonder if Mourinho has the chance to discover a BEST footballer in M'sia if 1 day he manage M'sia team

PFA awards suffering from premature acclamation, even if one is to Wayne Rooney

From The Times

It’s that time of the year again — ie, the wrong time. The Professional Footballers’ Association hands out its coveted awards before the season has finished — indeed, while most of the campaign’s critical outcomes have yet to be decided.

There are decent logistical reasons for this. If it waited until afterwards, everyone involved would have gone on holiday and Jeff Stelling would be in front of an empty hotel ballroom in London saying: “Unfortunately, the entire game can’t be with us tonight.”

To guarantee a quorum, in that circumstance, it would have to be held in Faliraki. The lower-league bits, anyway. The Premier League awards would probably need to be in Dubai.

Still, it does seem a shame. For all we know, Steven Gerrard may be about to have the fortnight of his life, super-humanly pulling out every stop to ensure Liverpool an unforeseen, last-gasp Champions League place and a startling triumph in the Europa League — and it still won’t be enough to earn him a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season ahead of Cesc Fàbregas. Or what if Frank Lampard adds five more goals and the Double to the 24 he has scored in a remarkable year of box-to-box performances? Sorry, Frank. They judged it early again. And Darren Fletcher got your slot.

It’s this premature aspect that stands between the PFA Awards night and full and formal acceptance within the culture as “football’s Academy Awards”. After all, films that receive Oscars tend to have been seen in cinemas, complete with their endings. The football season, by contrast, is still in production and could yet be made or ruined in the cut.

Otherwise, the parallels between Hollywood’s globally scrutinised prize-giving and English football’s night of a thousand stars, plus Patrick Kisnorbo, of Leeds United, are obvious and plentiful. For starters, both ceremonies take place in the spiritual home of their respective businesses — Los Angeles, in the film industry’s case, and a swanky hotel in Mayfair, Central London, in the case of football. You can’t get closer to the beating heart of football in 2010, surely, than under chandeliers the size of tractors at the Grosvenor.

And, similarly, both events are a fashion story, as much as anything else, with the world of couture waiting eagerly to see what the evening’s leading figures are wearing. In this area we can report — amid the football community, at any rate — a surge back towards the restraint and security of the traditional black tie. In recent years there had been a concerted breakaway from bow ties and towards cravats, with greys and even bright lilacs and sunny yellows dominating, and with, in tandem, a broad and slightly disquieting nonchalance about looking a total, preening ninny.

This year, though, it was very much back to basics, night attire-wise, certainly among the evening’s big winners, Wayne Rooney and James Milner. In this, the evening may well have been bearing the gloomy imprint of the recession. Remember that this is a night for players across all four of the English professional leagues. Some of those players are on only £4,000 a week, or even less.

Rooney, of course, won Player of the Year and he was able to reassure the room, during his acceptance speech, that he hopes to recover from injury and play a role in the most important part of it. Actually, make that “acceptance interview” rather than “acceptance speech”, the PFA having long since eliminated any potential out-of-comfort-zone awkwardness by getting Stelling to tee up a few questions on the podium.

Fair enough, I suppose, although if you don’t want to see Rooney burst like an overfilled gutter and cry out, in the manner of Sally Field, “You like me, you really like me”, I politely suggest you’re not really interested in football awards ceremonies.

Never blame any day in ur life

Never blame any day in your life.
Good days give u happiness,
Bad days give u experience.
Worst days give u a lesson.

Have a good morning and great day ahead.

"No defenders, no problem"

LYON - Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal barely has enough fit defenders for Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg in Lyon but the implacable Dutchman does not appear too concerned.

Van Gaal told a news conference on Monday he did not know if injured defenders Martin Demichelis, Daniel Van Buyten and Diego Contento would have recovered in time to defend Bayern's 1-0 advantage from the first leg.

Ukrainian Anatoliy Tymoshchuk has not even travelled to France.

"I've come here with 17 players and I can only field 11 so if I miss the three others, I'll still have 14 available players," the imperturbable Van Gaal said.

Bayern have the worst defensive record of the four teams still in the Champions League, having conceded 13 goals this season in Europe, but Van Gaal said the most important thing would be to score.

"We are not the kind of team whose aim is just to avoid conceding goals when we enter the field. I've never told my players to play like that since the beginning of the season and I won't start tomorrow," he said.

Fellow Dutchman Mark van Bommel, who missed the first leg through suspension, said he was not worried about his side leaking goals.

LACK OF EXPERIENCE

"We have often conceded goals in away games this season but that's not a problem because even if we concede six goals tomorrow and we score five, we're through," the Bayern captain said.

Van Gaal said he was confident his team would overcome their injury woes thanks to their German mentality, which helped them knock Fiorentina and Manchester United out on away goals in previous rounds.

"Our willpower is just incredible, we have always managed to stay alive this season even during games when we were trailing," he said.

"When I was a coach in the Netherlands and my team had to play against a German one, I used to tell my players that they had to be ready to play until the very end of the game.

"Our team is made up of German players and foreign players who have been playing in Germany for quite a long time and are now immersed in this special German mentality," he said.

But Lyon coach Claude Puel warned Bayern they did not see the real Lyon in the first leg.

"Bayern feel confident, that's fair enough... but we know we are able to overcome any European opponent if we play at our real level," Puel told reporters before going to the Gerland pitch for training.

"We've had to go through difficult moments this season in the Champions League and we've always been able to raise our level each time we had to," he added.

Puel said Lyon, who knocked Real Madrid out in the last 16, suffered from a lack of experience in Munich.

"Let's not think about the situation and just focus on what we have to do on the pitch... Let's focus on our own game, which, I repeat, is not what we showed during the first leg," he said.

Lyon captain and defender Cris, whose knee locked in the first leg, said he was confident of making the starting line-up.

Lady GaGa close to X Factor deal?

Pop singer Lady GaGa is reportedly close to signing a deal with ITV for 'The X Factor'.

According to The People, the singer will act as a guest-judge on the show, filling in for Dannii Minogue, during her maternity leave.

A source said: "It's now a case of dotting the Is and crossing the Ts."

"With the likes of Lady GaGa lined up ITV will be getting their money's worth, even with the extra.""Simon Cowell and everyone involved knows just how much of a ratings draw Lady GaGa will be."

Leeds United worthy of promotion place - Lorimer

Leeds United legend Peter Lorimer believes the Elland Road club will be worthy of their success if they claim automatic promotion from League One, regardless of their struggle through the second half of the season.

United are two games away from completing a dramatic campaign which has deteriorated since the turn of the year and their rise into the Championship now rests on a visit to Charlton Athletic next weekend and a clash with Bristol Rovers at Elland Road on May 8, the last day of the term.

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Leeds were outright favourites to win promotion at the midway point of the season after amassing 56 points from 23 games and losing only once, but a severe loss of momentum left the club clinging to second position in League One by a single point ahead of yesterday's game against MK Dons.

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Simon Grayson's squad were usurped at the top of the division in January by Norwich City, the first club to secure promotion and champions-elect for the past two months, but a surge of three straight wins earlier this month kept United on course to follow them out of League One without the need for a third play-off campaign in as many years.

* Click here for latest Huddersfield Town news.

United's progress was stunted again by a 3-2 defeat at Gillingham last Saturday, their fifth loss in nine games, but second place remained in their hands as points went begging amongst the group of clubs immediately below them.


A prolonged downturn of form placed in peril a promotion place which looked certain four months ago, but Lorimer said Grayson's squad would be deserving of a place in the Championship should the final fortnight of the season lift them back into England's second tier for the first time since 2007.

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The former Leeds striker said: "The results in the first half of the season were excellent and that gave them a great chance. If they go up then you'd have to say that over the course of the whole season they'll deserve it.

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"It's hard to understand or explain the form since the turn of the year because it's been like chalk and cheese but your season comes down to where you finish after 46 games, not 23.

"The most important thing was always getting out of League One, however it happened.

"A lot of people assumed at Christmas that Leeds were guaranteed to finish in the top two and probably win the league. You couldn't really see anyone stopping them, but they've had very little consistency since then.

"It's either been great performances or poor performances with nothing in between.

"That puts a lot of pressure on the players but they've still got the chance to do it and that's a big bonus after everything that's gone on.

"It would be a crying shame if promotion gets away because the players couldn't have given themselves a better chance."

United will spend this week building up to their last away game of the season against Charlton at The Valley, a meeting between the two clubs who began the term as leading candidates for the League One title.

Charlton led the division for several weeks before allowing Leeds to assume control in September, but United lost first place on the weekend of their FA Cup fourth-round tie at Tottenham Hotspur, giving way to a Norwich side that did not look back.

City's promotion was confirmed by their 1-0 win at Charlton last weekend, a result which effectively guaranteed them the title in the process.

Leeds were held to a goalless draw by Charlton at Elland Road at the start of October on a windswept day which negated both teams and offered neither squad great insight into the other.

The mixed form experienced by United has been replicated in part by Phil Parkinson's squad, who have dropped points regularly since the turn of the year.

A run of one win from seven games in January and February held Charlton back at a crucial time.

Their loss at home to Norwich left the club three points behind Leeds with an inferior goal difference, but Parkinson was upbeat afterwards, saying: "We will keep going. It's all there to play for.

"It's so unpredictable and tense at this time of the year. You need players with courage to get on the ball and pass it and you need players who can stand up physically to every challenge.

"As we've been saying all along, there are so many twists and turns in this promotion race.

"You just have to look at last Saturday's results – Gillingham had three centre-halves out and I couldn't see Leeds losing, but Leeds were 3-1 down at half-time."

Charlton's campaign has rested on their home form and Norwich were only the third team to win at The Valley this season, following on from Brighton and Leyton Orient.

United's last visit to the ground came in 2003 when James Milner's early goal earned them a 1-0 win and United's record at Charlton is excellent.

Their previous three appearances there all yielded victories, including a 6-1 rout seven years ago.

Charlton received a boost last week with the return of 13-goal striker Deon Burton from a knee injury but Leeds will take a strong squad to The Valley with the vast majority of their senior professionals available.

Only Jason Crowe and Patrick Kisnorbo will be unavailable due to recent operations.

Nickelback-I'd Come For You

Just One more moment, that's all that's needed.
Like wounded soldiers in need of healing.
Time to be honest, this time I'm bleeding
Please don't dwell on it, cause I didn't mean it

I cant believe I said I'd lay our love on the ground
But it doesn't matter cause I've made it up forgive me now
Everyday I spend away my souls inside out
Gotta be someway that I can make it up to you now, somehow.

By now you'd know that I'd come for you
No one but you, yes I'd come for you
But only if you told me to
And I'd fight for you
I'd lie, it's true
Give my life for you
You know I'd always come for you

I was blindfolded, but now I'm seeing
My mind was closing, now I'm believing
I finally know just what it means to let someone in
To see the side of me that no one does or ever will
So if your ever lost and find yourself all alone
I'd search forever just to bring you home,
Here and now this I vow

By now you'd know that I'd come for you
No one but you, yes I'd come for you
But only if you told me to
And I'd fight for you
I'd lie, it's true
Give my life for you
You know I'd always come for you
You know I'd always come for you

Yes I'd come for you, no one but you,
Yes I'd come for you
But only if you told me to

And I'd fight for you
I'd lie, it's true
Give my life for you
You know I'd always come for you

No matter what gets in my way
As long as there's still life in me
No matter what, remember you know I'll always come for you
I'd crawl across this world for you
Do anything you want me to
No matter what, remember you know I'll always come for you
You know I'll always come for you

Referee Named For Arsenal Match

Mike Dean will take charge of City's Premier League game against Manchester United at The Emirates.

The Wirral official has refereed 40 games this season in which he has shown a total of 139 yellow cards and 7 reds. Mike Dean will be assisted by Peter Kirkup and Rob Lewis for the game in the Capital on Saturday afternoon.

In The News

• 

  • Juan Antonio Samaranch (pictured), the seventh president of the International Olympic Committee, dies at the age of 89.
• The United People's Freedom Alliance, led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, wins the Sri Lankan general election, securing 144 of the 225 parliamentary seats.
• Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot of Kenya wins the Boston Marathon, setting a new course record.
• A state funeral is held for Polish President Lech Kaczyński and First Lady Maria Kaczyńska in Kraków, a week after their fatal plane crash.
• A series of bomb attacks kills more than 48 people in Kohat District, Pakistan.
• Volcanic ash from the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air trafficacross Europe and eastern Canada.

Manchester United Right-Back Gary Neville: Wayne Rooney Deserves Premier League Player Of The Year Award

Striker has been in the form of his life this season...

By Anthony Sciarrino

Apr 21, 2010 1:32:00 AM

Gary Neville believes that Manchester United team-mateWayne Rooney has been the best player in the Premier League this season.

The England international has had some injury troubles recently, but with 26 goals in 30 league appearances Rooney has enjoyed the finest season of his career.

Rooney has been chosen as a candidate for the PFA Player of the Year award, and though he will face tough competition from Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Manchester City hitman Carlos Tevez, Neville believes that his team-mate is the clear choice.

“He is the outstanding candidate, I expect him to win it,” Neville told the Daily Star.

“He has been fantastic with his goals and general level of performance, as well as helping England.”

Rooney recovered from his ankle injury to start against Manchester City in United’s critical 1-0 injury time win which brought the three time defending Premier League champions to within one point of current leaders Chelsea.

The Englishman was able to play for over 70 minutes before being substituted by Sir Alex Ferguson and Neville believes that Rooney’s return will improve United’s chances of overtaking the Blues and winning another Premier League title.

“We were certainly happy to see Wayne Rooney play because we are always going to miss him when he is injured.

“He is unique and he has proved difficult to replace because the penetration, strength and pure aggression he provides is different to what other players offer.”

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WOTD

execration

1. the act of cursing or denouncing; the expression of utter detestation: "Sally considered execration to be an act of spiritual cleansing and used it along with other calming techniques like deep breathing."

2. a curse

3. something cursed or detested

Tom Hicks claims he will make four times his money back on Liverpool FC sale

DEPARTING Liverpool FC owner Tom Hicks has said he expects to pocket £600m from the sale of the club, describing it as his most profitable venture yet.

The Texas businessman bought the club three years ago with business partner George Gillett.

But his tenure as co-owner has been dogged by financial problems and a poor relationship with fans, many of whom have been extremely vocal in wanting to him to sell after the club was loaded with debt to finance its purchase.

In an interview he gave to the Wall Street Journal at the weekend, Mr Hicks said he expects Liverpool to fetch £600m to £800m, four times what they paid for it.

Industry experts believe the actual sale price will probably be lower.

His comments last night angered fans, whose cash-strapped team are struggling to achieve a Champions League place next season.

Mr Hicks said: “Liverpool will be the most profitable investment I have ever made.

“It has been the most rewarding in so many ways and the most painful in so many ways.

“When you feel fans turn against you, it is very frustrating.

“The fan blogs blame the owners but we had terrible injuries with our star players out for more than a month, and we just were not a very good team without them.”

It is believed Mr Hicks is under pressure to sell because his £237m debt with Royal Bank of Scotland is due later in the year.

On Friday, Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett announced the imminent sale and appointed Martin Broughton as chairman of the Anfield club, granting him power to direct the sale in its best interests.

Mr Broughton will serve as a neutral party for the two partners, who fell out over the selection of a chief executive and the design of a replacement for Anfield.

The fan campaign against the American owners has intensified over the past 12 months, with thousands of Spirit Of Shankly members demonstrating outside Anfield.

I think of you and miss you all the time

When I Open My Eyes
To See The Sun Rise
I Think Of You.

When I Hear A Robin Sing
On The First Day Of Spring
I Think Of You.

When I See A Red Rose
On The Bush Where It Grows
I Think Of You.

When I Feel The Summer Heat
On The Sand Beneath My Feet
I Think Of You.

When I Sit On A Beach
Another World Just Out Of Reach
I Think Of You.

When I See The Colored Leaves
Fall To The Ground From A Light Breeze
I Think Of You.

When I Look To The Night Sky
And See The Sparkle Like In Your Eyes
I Think Of You.

When The Snow Is Coming Down
To Softly Blanket The Ground
I Think Of You.

When I Go To Bed At Night
As I Turn Out The Light
I Think Of You.

When I’m Old And Near Death
And I Draw My Last Breath
I’ll Think Of You. . .

THE OPPOSITION: Bradford City

A look at the Bantams' squad

Goalkeepers: Matthew Glennon joined the Bantams in January 2020 from Huddersfield. He started his career at Bolton before joining Hull City in 2001 having had loan spells at Port Vale, Stockport, Bristol Rovers and Carlisle. Jon McLaughlan joined City from Blue Square North club, Harrogate Town. He made his first team debut last season. League Appearances for Bradford City: 4. Defenders: Simon Ramsden joined City from Rochdale in the summer of 2009. He began his career at Sunderland and had a loan spell at Notts County before joining Grimsby in 2004. Two years later he moved to Rochdale where he went on to make over 100 league appearances. League Appearances for Bradford City: 29, Goals: 2. Luke O'Brien is another young player who has come through the youth system at Valley Parade and he made his first team debut last season. League Appearances for Bradford City: 75(2), Goals: 1. Zeshan Rehman joined Bradford City in June 2009 from QPR. He began his career at Fulham before moving to Norwich and then Brighton. He joined QPR in 2006. He has previously had a loan spell at Valley Parade. League Appearances for Bradford City: 48(3), Goals: 2. Matthew Clarke joined City from Darlington in 2006. He made over 150 appearances for Darlington and has also played for Halifax Town. League Appearances for Bradford City: 80(6), Goals: 4. Steve Williams was signed in the summer of 2009 from Unibond League club, Bamber Bridge. He has also played for Fleetwood Town. League Appearances for Bradford City: 32(3), Goals: 4. Jonathon Bateson joined Bradford City from Blackburn in the summer of 2009. He had a spell on loan at Unibond League, Buxton. League Appearances for Bradford City: 13(7). Robbie Threlfall is on loan from Liverpool. He has also had loan spells at Stockport, Hereford and Northampton. League Appearances for Bradford City: 13, Goals: 2. Midfield: Adam Bolder is on loan from Millwall. He began his career at Hull, moving to Derby County in 2000 and making over 150 first team appearances for the Rams before joining QPR in 2007. He had a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday before joining Millwall following a loan spell in 2009. League Appearances for Bradford City: 10, Goals: 1. Gavin Grant joined the Bantams in February 2010. He has played largely in non-league football, having played for Grays, Stevenage and Tooting & Mitcham. He had a spell at Wycombe last season. League Appearances for Bradford City: 3(4). Michael Flynn joined City in the summer of 2009 from Huddersfield. He started his career at Barry Town before joining Wigan for £15,000. He had a loan spell at Blackpool before moving to Gillingham in 2005 where he made over 100 first team appearances. He joined Blackpool in 2007 and then moved to Huddersfield. He had a spell on loan at Darlington last season. League Appearances for Bradford City: 38, Goals: 5. Luke Sharry is a product of the youth system at Valley Parade. He had a loan spell at Barrow last season. League Appearances for Bradford City: 0(2). Steve O'Leary began his career at Luton Town. He helped the Hatters win the League One title in 2005. While at Luton, he had a loan spell at Tranmere. He joined Hereford in 2008 and moved to Valley Parade this summer. League Appearances for Bradford City: 4(3). Scott Neilson joined Bradford City from Southern League club, Cambridge City in the summer of 2009. He previously played for Ware Town. He is on loan at Cambridge City. League Appearances for Bradford: 18(4), Goals: 1. Omar Daley joined the club in January 2007 from American club, Charleston Battery. He has previous league experience with Reading and Preston. League Appearances for Bradford City: 82(14), Goals: 10. Lee Bullock signed in 2007 from Hartlepool after a short loan spell. He started his career at York City where he made over 150 first team appearances. He subsequently played for Cardiff before moving to Hartlepool in 2005. He played on loan last season for Hartlepool, Mansfield and Bury. League Appearances for Bradford City: 64(8), Goals: 5. James O'Brien joined City from Birmingham in the summer of 2009. He was previously with Irish club, Cherry Orchard. League Appearances for Bradford City: 14(8), Goals: 2. Strikers: Ryan Kendall is on loan until the end of the season from Hull City. League Appearances for Bradford City: 2(3), Goals: 1. Gareth Evans joined City in the summer of 2009 from Macclesfield Town, his first club. He scored 19 league goals for the Silkmen in two years. League Appearances for Bradford City: 34(5), Goals: 8. James Hanson joined City in the summer of 2009 from Unibond club, Guiseley. He began his career at Huddersfield Town and also played for Northern Counties East League club, Eccleshill United. League Appearances for Bradford City: 33(1), Goals: 12. Leon Osborne is a product of the youth system at Valley Parade. He made his full league debut this season. League Appearances for Bradford City: 2(9).

Dota, Exam and Fate

1 B 1 Fail n one more goin to die...(my prediction). My finals for tis sem will score very bad coz of some idiotic friends of mine just cant stop tempting me for dota..evil evil evil!

Studied for MKT 222 since wednesday till the very last minute before exam. Quite dissapointing because 6 out of 10 ques is not available in the notes provided summore i din attend class..@.@..so unfair!

Straight go for nap after that and planned to yam cha ONLY, but fate is sometimes so unpredictable. Din ajak Rueben but dunno how in the world he met us halfway in Taipan and we headed to Old Town for a drinks and just like his younger brother-Mathiew who ajak me dota the previous nite knowing that i having exam the following day, Reuben did the F***ing same thing just the only difference is i taking ECO 240 on the next day morning!!!!!Another cruel fate is i decided to go for it and USJ 2 CC closed down so Soo Gee suggested FTZ..T.T..played till 2am reach home, managed to studied for 2 hours and slept for 2 hours and now im half-dead going for exam+half-prepared..GG

City ambitions give Manchester derby unusual edge

ONDON, April 15 (Reuters) - It is not often that an end-of-season Manchester derby is more important to City than United but Saturday's clash could go a long way to deciding whether the home side can break up England's big four.

United, of course, are not out of the Premier League title running but even victory at Eastlands would still leave Chelsea strong favourites for the silverware.

City desperately need the points to tighten their grip on the fourth place that secures a foothold on the Champions League.

United were in pole position three weeks ago but home defeat by Chelsea followed by a 0-0 draw at Blackburn Rovers has left them four points behind the Londoners with four games remaining.

It is not an insurmountable gap, even with Chelsea's recent big wins giving them a five-superior goal difference, but the bigger issue for United could now be holding off Arsenal for second place.

Arsene Wenger's side are third, two points behind, after their 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

City are fourth on 62 points, one ahead of Spurs, who next face Chelsea and Manchester United.

Liverpool, on 56 and Aston Villa, on 55 after their 2-2 draw with Everton on Wednesday, are also still in the hunt for fourth but it is very much City's to lose.

Saturday's game (11.45 GMT) is the fourth Manchester derby of the season and will have to go some to live up to the previous three.

United won the Old Trafford league clash 4-3 in September as Craig Bellamy's brilliant last-minute equaliser was trumped by Michael Owen's stoppage-time winner.

City won the first leg of their League Cup semi-final 2-1 with a double from former United forward Carlos Tevez, only for United to snatch a place in the final with Wayne Rooney's last-gasp goal for a 3-1 Old Trafford success in the second leg.

UNLIKELY ALLY

The England striker remains a doubt for Saturday through a twisted ankle that kept him out of the Chelsea and Blackburn games.

United fans, unimpressed by the efforts of Dimitar Berbatov in Rooney's absence, will be desperate to have him back and they found an unlikely ally this week in the form of City manager Roberto Mancini.

"I think it is better if Rooney plays on Saturday," he told the club's website (www.mcfc.co.uk)

"He is a fantastic player and has had an amazing season. He will be a danger, of course, but United have many fine players in their team -- but we have beaten them once at home already and can do it again.

"I think it's best if both teams are full strength and then the side who takes the three points can truly say the best team won and there is no reason that cannot be us."

City are certainly the form team going into the game, having won three league games in a row and scored 14 goals in the process.

"We've gelled as a squad at the right time and we're hitting the right notes just when we need to," said midfielder Gareth Barry. "We're finishing the season strongly."

United's Ryan Giggs is hoping to recover from a hamstring strain in time to play on Saturday, maintaining his remarkable record of never missing a derby since he began playing in 1991.

The 36-year-old has played in all 32 meetings between the sides in all competitions since.

"This game was always going to be huge at this time of the season; they're going for fourth place and we're going for the championship. Derby days are always massive anyway, but there's a bit of extra spice to this one," Giggs said.

Should United triumph they will hope Chelsea drop points in their awkward-looking trip to Tottenham later on Saturday.

That would also suit Arsenal, who refuse to lie down in the championship race despite taking a couple of standing counts and they would remain very much in the mix with victory at Wigan Athletic on Sunday.